1.0 Abstract
Industrial and organization research is normally concerned with human mental processes and behavior in organizations and businesses. Organizational research normally uses the quantitative research method because most the problems that are studied meet the four objectives relevant to scientific understanding; description, explanation, control, and prediction. However, qualitative research is increasingly becoming relevant in Industrial and organization research. This creates the need to understand both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
2.0 Introduction
Qualitative research is a research design that seeks to study research participants in their natural environment in an attempt to interpret phenomena or develop a theory. There are three major research designs used in qualitative research; case study research, ethnographic study and grounded theory study. Quantitative research techniques involves designing research that meet the four objectives of relevant to scientific understanding; description, explanation, control, and prediction. The three major research designs used in quantitative research are experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental. This paper seeks to discuss the various research designs in both qualitative and quantitative research.
3.0 Qualitative research
3.1 Case study research
There are various methods that are used collect data in case study research depending on the source of data to be analyzed. Case study data may be obtained from; documents, in-depth interviews, questionnaires, archival records and test results. Historical data is normally collected and used by the researcher to contextualize the case being analyzed in order to understand any factors that may have influenced the characteristics of the case. In some instances, qualitative data is also used in case study research. In such instances, where both quantitative and qualitative data are used, then the case study will be a mixed case study and not a qualitative case study.
There are three main types of case study research design; intrinsic, collective and instrumental. Intrinsic case study involves describing a particular individual, event or organization in-depth in order to understand the case being investigated only. Intrinsic case study is only interested in a particular case and not in making generalizations. An instrumental case study is conducted with the aim of providing insight into a particular issue or developing, refining or altering an existing theoretical explanation. Unlike intrinsic case study, instrumental case study is more interested in making generalizations than in understanding a particular case. A collective case study is conducted with the primary objective of making comparisons by extensively studying more than one case. It is also referred to as comparative case study.
3.2 Ethnography
Ethnographic study is a qualitative research design that involves studying cultures through reading, close observation and interpretation. Ethnography is rooted in anthropology where it originated. Ethnographic research seeks to identity the traits that build up or make a culture. A culture is a way of thinking, believing and feeling as a consequence of learned behavior in the social environment. Although culture is often associated with large groups such as the Chinese, Mexican or African; it can also be applied to smaller groups such as street gangs, football players or a motorcycle group. In this regard, there are two broad divisions of ethnography; macro ethnography which involves studying cultures that originate from large groups and macro ethnography which involves studying cultures that originate from small groups. Ethnographic studies depict cultures from two perspectives that is; from an insider’s perspective which is referred to as emic perspective or an outsider’s perspective which is referred to as etic perspective. To produce a valid ethnography, a researcher needs to balance between the two perspectives.
Data collection process in ethnography is referred to as fieldwork. There are two main methods of collecting data ethnographic data. An in-depth interview with members of the group being investigated is a commonly used data collection tool. The second method is participant observation in which the researcher becomes an active participant of the group under investigation. The major limitation of participant observation is reactive effect in which the presence of the researcher makes group members to change their behavior.
3.3 Grounded theory
Grounded theory can be defined as a general research design used in developing naturalistic theory and is grounded in empirical data. A theory is an explanation of how something operates and why it operates in that particular manner. Grounded theory is commonly used in behavioral, social and clinical sciences. Grounded theory research seeks to identify the theory that emerges from analyzing data that has been collected about a phenomenon.
The most common methods of data collection in grounded theory research are interviews and observations. Data collection and analysis in grounded theory research is continuous in nature. The researcher needs theoretical sensitivity when conducting grounded theory research. This means that the researcher needs to consider only data that is relevant in developing grounded theory and must use insight to determine what kind of additional data is necessary to construct the theory.
4.0 Quantitative research
4.1 Experimental research
Experimental research main aim is to examine the probable cause-and-effect relationship between variables by manipulating an independent variable to influence other dependent variables and measuring the effects that result from the manipulation using statistical means. In order to make causal inference, the researcher must control the influence of extraneous variables. Extraneous variables are a threat to internal validity because they result in competing hypothesis. In case, there are few controls to the influence of extraneous variables, then the research design is referred to as weak experimental design. On the other hand, In case there are adequate controls over the influence of extraneous variables, then the research design is referred to as a strong experimental design. In this regard, there are two broad classes of experimental research design; weak experimental design and strong experimental design.
Under weak experimental design, a research design can be classified into three; one-group posttest design where a single group of participants in a research is measured using a dependent variable after an experiment. The second is one group pretest –posttest design in which single group of participants in a research is measured using a dependent variable before and after an experiment. The third one is posttest-only with non equivalent group design where the experiment is controlled to eliminate any effects of the researcher’s independent variable on the other variables. Categories under strong experimental design are classified depending on whether it is between participants, between participants or factorial if there are more than two variables being manipulated at a time.
4.2 Quasi-experimental design
Quasi -experimental design is a quantitative research design that meets some but not all of the requirements essential to exercise control over the influence of extraneous variables. A quasi-experiment design meets some of three basic requirement of experimental research, that is; causal inferences can be made, the cause must precede the probable effect, and there is no rival hypothesis.
There are three broad classifications of quasi-experimental design; non-equivalent comparison group design, time series design and regression discontinuity design. Non equivalent group design is the most common quasi-experimental design. It includes both an experimental group and a control group; however, participants are not randomly assigned. Time series design involves pretesting and posttesting research participants a number of times. Regression discontinuity design is used when a researcher is interested in determining if research participants meet a predetermined criterion as a result of receiving treatment.
4.3 Non-experimental design
Another quantitative research design is non-experimental research design. In non-experimental research design, the researcher does not manipulate the variables involved. In non experimental design, the researcher does not intend to control any of the variables. In other words, there is zero control over the variables. Non-experimental design is normally classified into three categories; relational designs, comparative research and longitudinal design. Relational design involves measuring a wide range of variables to identify the relationship between variables by studying the frequency of co-occurrence between two groups. Comparative research compares more than one group using one variable, for example, effect of gender on productivity. Longitudinal design investigates variable such productivity of employees over time.
5.0 Conclusion
Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are both relevant to industrial and organizational research today. Both quantitative and qualitative research employ various research designs when conducting research depending on the nature of the research and the objective the researcher intends to achieve.
6.0 References
Christensen, L. B., Johnson, R. B., & Turner, L. (2011). Research Methods, Design, and Analysis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall .
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (3, illustrated ed.). New York: Sage Publications.
Gravetter, F. J., & Forzano, L.-A. B. (2011). Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences (4 ed.). London: Cengage Learning.
Jackson, S. L. (2011). Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach (4 ed.). London: Cengage Learning.
